Louise Plachta

Opinion columnist

Recent articles

Opinion

And all through the house all-day preparations were in progress for a traditional Polish Wilija (also known as Wigilija). Some of you have read or heard this story before but it may be interesting to those of you who haven’t.

Opinion

Are you “average,” or above average? I don’t mean intellectually; my question has nothing to do with your intelligence quotient In an article in my latest copy of “Our Two Cents Worth” we are told that the expected amount that consumers will spend on gifts for family members is $478 and that 59 percent of you will shop online for holiday goods.

Opinion

“Whoop! Whoop! Whoop!” The fire alarm, at 6:30 a.m. was enough to awaken even the deepest sleeper. Within five minutes we were gathered and accounted for as in the central dining area. The “all-clear” took us back to our rooms where some tried to resume their dreams; others to toss and turn until breakfast was announced. As newer residents learned, this was the monthly fire drill. HOWEVER . . .

Opinion

The case for return of handkerchiefs: After an evening out, I decided, watchful steward of electricity usage that I try to be, to do a load or two of laundry. About an hour later, I opened the washer door and what did I see? Thousands of white flakes laughing back at me! I had left a facial tissue wadded up in one the pockets of black (of course) slacks.

Opinion

1967 was certainly a banner year for a number of celebrations within the circle of our family and friends. Fifty-year anniversary celebrants include, among others, my sister and brother-in-law, Catherine and Ken; good friends Sharon and Tom and Carol and Roger. And of course, the not happy remembrance of the Detroit riots.

Opinion

If you are among those of us who still use stamps and mailboxes (snailmail) for business and personal correspondence, i.e., greeting cards, bill-paying, notes, etc., be aware that the cost of first-class postage stamps may be going up in the near future.

Opinion

A quiet evening. I was on the deck dead-heading the geraniums when I became aware of a faint ringing of bells. It took a moment or two before I realized that it was coming from Sacred Heart Church. I checked my watch and saw that it was six o’clock -- the time that in years past, we stopped what we were doing and recited prayers of the Angelus: “The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary . . . . And she conceived by the Holy Spirit.” Traditionally, that was followed with...

Opinion

“Smile, you’re on ‘Candid Camera!’” intoned Allen Funt at the end of the reality show that began in the 1940s as “The Candid Microphone” and later made its appearance as “Candid Camera” on television. The shows together ran for over 50 years and were hosted at various times by Allen Funt and his son Peter, Arthur Godfrey, and Bess Myerson. To readers who seem to remember the name, Bess was Miss America, a political activist, an...

Opinion

The last few times I’ve gone to the drive-up deposit/withdrawal tubes at a local bank, two lanes have been open: one for customers who drive trucks or other large vehicles doing business, and one for clients who are there to transact non-automatic business. The other lanes were closed. However, drivers in three cars were lined up in the lane next to mine, each waiting their turn at the ATM.

Opinion

The window was open and I could hear the birds chirping, but then I realized that something else was in the air — something familiar that smelled suspiciously like something being grilled. Hamburgers? Steaks? Neither of those. If my olfactory senses were functioning properly, the smell belonged to meat that I hadn’t had in a year or two . . . hot dogs!